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A scanner is a radio receiver that can automatically tune, or scan, two or more discrete frequencies, stopping when it finds a signal on one of them and then continuing to scan other frequencies when the initial transmission ceases. The terms radio scanner or police scanner generally refer to a communications receiver that is primarily intended for monitoring VHF and UHF landmobile radio systems, as opposed to, say, a receiver used to monitor international shortwave transmissions.

More often than not, these scanners can also tune to different types of modulation as well (AM, FM, WFM, etc). Early scanners were slow, bulky, and expensive. Today, modern microprocessors have enabled scanners to store thousands of channels and monitor hundreds of channels per second. Recent models can follow trunked radio systems and decode APCO-P25 digital transmissions. Both hand held and desktop models are available. Scanners are often used to monitor police, fire and emergency medical services. Radio scanning serves an important role in the fields of journalism and crime investigation, as well as a hobby for many people around the world.

History and use

Many recent models will allow scanning of the specific DCS or CTCSS code used on a specific frequency should it have multiple users. One memory bank can be assigned to air traffic control, another can be for local marine communications, and yet another for local police frequencies. These can be switched on and off depending on the user's preference. Most scanners have a weather radio band, allowing the listener to tune into weather radio broadcasts from a NOAA transmitter.

Some scanners are equipped with Fire-Tone out. Fire tone out decodes Quik call II tones and acts as a pager when the correct sequence of tones is detected.

Active frequencies can be found by searching the internet and frequency reference books or can be discovered through a programmable scanner's search function. An external antenna for a desktop scanner or an extendable antenna for a hand held unit will provide greater performance than the original equipment antennas provided by manufacturers.

Legal issues

The legality of radio scanners varies considerably between jurisdictions. In the United States it is a federal crime to monitor cellular phone calls. Some US states prohibit the use of a scanner in an automobile. Although scanners capable of following trunked radio systems and demodulating some digital radio systems such as APCO Project 25 are available, decryption-capable scanners would be a violation of United States law and possibly laws of other countries.

A law passed by the Congress of the United States, under the pressure from cellular telephone interests, prohibited scanners sold after a certain date from receiving frequencies allocated to the Cellular Radio Service. The law was later amended to make it illegal to modify radios to receive those frequencies, and also to sell radios that could be easily modified to do so. This law remains in effect even though few cellular subscribers still use analogue technology. There are Canadian and European unblocked versions available, however these are illegal to import into the U.S. Frequencies used by early cordless phones at 43.720--44.480, 46.610--46.930 MHz and 902.000 – 906.000 MHz can be picked up by many scanners. The proliferation of scanners led most cordless phone manufacturers to produce cordless handsets operating on a more secure 2.4 GHz system using spread-spectrum technology. Certain states in the U.S., such as New York and Florida, prohibit the use of scanners in a vehicle unless the operator has a radio license issued from the FCC (Amateur Radio, etc) or the operator's job requires the use of a scanner in a vehicle (ie, Police, Fire, Utilities)

Canada allows any analog transmission to be monitored but content of the communication may not be disclosed. In some parts of the United States, there are extra penalties for the possession of a scanner during a crime, and some states, such as Michigan, also prohibit the possession of a scanner by a person who has been convicted of a felony in the last 5 years. Other countries consider possession of a scanner at any time an offense.

In the United States, the general guidelines to follow when using a radio scanner are that it is illegal to:

• listen in on cellular and cordless phone calls,
• intercept encrypted or scrambled communications,
• sell or import radio scanners that are capable of receiving cellular phone frequencies (Note: This rule does not apply to sales by individuals and radio scanners made before the ban),
• modify radio scanners so that cellular phone frequencies can be received,
• use information received for personal gain (A common example is where a taxi driver listens to a competitor's dispatch channel to steal a customer),
• use information received to aid in the commission of a crime, or
• disclose information received to other persons.
• Licensed Amateur Radio Operators with a valid FCC License may possess Amateur Radio Transceivers capable of reception beyond the Amateur Radio Bands per an FCC Memorandum & Order known as [FCC Docket PR91-36 also known as FCC 93-410]

A partial copy of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 can be found here: "Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986"

Example laws by country

Police Abbreviations

AKA = Also known as (Alias)

ASAP = As soon as possible

ATL = Attempt to Locate

BCI = Bureau of Criminal Investigations

DL = Drivers License 

DOA = Dead on Arrival

DOB = Date of Birth

DR = Driving Record

DS = Driving Status

DUI = Driving Under the Influence

DW = Dog Warden

DWI = Driving While Intoxicated

FD = Fire Department

FTP = Failure to Pay

GW = Game Warden

H&R = Hit and Run

ID = Identification

MC = Motorcycle

NCIC = National Criminal Information Center

NIF = Not in File  

OUI = Operating Under the Influence 

PD = Police Department

PS or PX= Public Service (telephone call)

P/U = Pickup Truck

PV = Parking Violation

SP = State Police

SO = Sheriff's Office

SSN = Social Security Number

TT = Teletype

TV = Traffic Violation

W&W = Wants and Warrants

Police 10 Codes

10 - 0 Caution

10 - 1 Unable Copy____ change location/or/Call Your Command

10 - 2 Signal good/or/Return To Your Command Post

10 - 3 Stop Transmitting

10 - 4 Acknowledgement (OK)

10 - 5 Relay/or/Repeat

10 - 6 Busy-Unless urgent

10 - 7 Out of service/or/Verify an Address

10 - 8 In Service

10 - 9 Repeat

10 - 10 Fight in progress/or/Possible Crime in Progressvb

10 - 11 alarm

10 - 12 Stand by (stop)/or/ Holding Suspect

10 - 13 Weather - road report? /or/ Holding Suspect

10 - 14 License Plate Check

10 - 15 Civil disturbance

10 - 16 Domestic Problem/or/Vehicle IS Reported Stolen

10 - 17 Vehicle is NOT Reported Stolen

10 - 18 Quickly/or?/Warrant Check (some of these are Not even Close!)

10 - 19 Return to ____________

10 - 20 Location

10 - 21 Call ___________by telephone

10 - 22 Disregard

10 - 23 Arrived at scene

10 - 24 Assignment completed

10 - 25 Report in person (meet) __________

10 - 26 Detaining subject, expedite

10 - 27 Drivers license information

10 - 28 Vehicle Registration information

10 - 29 Check for wanted

10 - 30 Unnecessary use of radio

10 - 31 Crime in progress

10 - 32 Man with gun

10 - 33 EMERGENCY

10 - 34 Riot

10 - 35 Major Crime Alert

10 - 36 Correct time

10 - 37 (Investigate) suspicious vehicle

10 - 38 Stopping suspicious vehicle

10 - 39 Urgent - Use light, siren

10 - 40 Silent run - no light, siren

10 - 41 Beginning tour of duty

10 - 42 Ending tour of duty

10 - 43 Information

10 - 44 Permission to leave ________for ___________

10 - 45 Animal carcass at ___________

10 - 46 Assist motorist

10 - 47 Emergency road repair at ____________

10 - 48 Traffic standard repair at ___________

10 - 49 Traffic Light out at _______________

10 - 50 Accident (F. PI. P.D.)

10 - 51 Wrecker needed

10 - 52 Ambulance needed

10 - 53 Road blocked at _____________

10 - 54 Livestock on highway

10 - 55 Intoxicated Driver

10 - 56 Intoxicated pedestrian

10 - 57 Hit and run ( F. PI. P.D.)

10 - 58 Direct traffic

10 - 59 Convey or Escort

10 - 60 Squad in vicinity

10 - 61 Personnel in area

10 - 62 Reply to message

10 - 63 Prepare make written copy

10 - 64 Message for local delivery

10 - 65 Net message assignment

10 - 66 Message cancellation

10 - 67 Clear for net message

10 - 68 Dispatch information

10 - 69 Message received

10 - 70 Fire alarm

10 - 71 Advise nature of fire

10 - 72 Report progress of fire

10 - 73 Smoke report

10 - 74 Negative

10 - 75 In contact with___________

10 - 76 En route

10 - 77 ETA (Estimated Time Arrival)

10 - 78 Need Assistance

10 - 79 Notify coroner

10 - 80 Chase in progress

10 - 81 Breatherlizer report

10 - 82 Reserve lodging

10 - 83 Work school crossing at _____________

10 - 84 If meeting _________advise ETA

10 - 85 Delayed due to ____________

10 - 86 Officer operator on duty

10 - 87 Pickup distribute checks

10 - 88 Present telephone number of ___________

10 - 89 Bomb Threat

10 - 90 Bank Alarm at ______________

10 - 91 Pick up prisoner subject

10 - 92 Improperly parked vehicle

10 - 93 Blockade

10 - 94 Drag racing

10 - 95 Prisoner subject in custody

10 - 96 Mental subject

10 - 97 Check (test) signal

10 - 98 Prison jail break

10 - 99 Wanted stolen indicated

10 - 100 Donuts or Bathroom Stop

POLICE SCANNER SITES

CHICAGO SCANNING CLUB

SCAN AMERICA

RADIOMAN 911

 Online Scanners

Live Scanner Broadcasts from many major cities across the USA. Fire, police and EMS, listen to live police scanner audio feeds of all the public service agencies. Actual live feed links are constantly changing.

Below is a listing of websites with live police scanner feeds.

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